Striker plate for golf clubs



- G. A. LlPPl STRIKES PLATE F0 CLUBS.

' APPLICATION FILED .1921.

1AQ3534L Patented July 18,1922.

hearse erases FATENT @FFECE.

STRIKEE PLATE FOR GOLF CLUBS.

Application filedAugust 4, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LGnoncn A, LTPPINCOTT,

a citizen of the United Estates, residing at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Striker Plates for Golf Clubs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in golf clubs and striker plates therefor.

Heretofore it has been proposed to face with, or insert in the face of golf clubs, particularly wooden clubs, and in some instances, metal ones, materials which, it has been claimed, would give a better grip on the ball for accuracy; greater density and more resistance to impact for increased distance; which would be immune to atmospheric changes; have better wearing qualities so as to maintain a true striking face under continued use; and with some of the matcrials used, which would, bycontrast in appearance between'the facing material and the material of the body of the club, indicate the proper point of impact on the face of the club.

Among the materials now in use may be mentioned iron, steel, celluloid, glass, ivory, and phenolic condensation products.

I have discovered a natural product, which, because of certain physical properties which. it possesses, and which will be set forth hereinafter, is, according to experiments conducted by me, peculiarly fitted for and usefulin making striker plates for golf clubs.

This product is the hard shell of certain of the Mollusca, among which may be mentioned the shell of the abalone, and particularly that portion of the shell of mollusks known asnacre, which is usually the inner surface of the shell, and is a calcareous concretion, deposited in wavy, although generally parallel, laminae; built up successively in the growth of the shell until a considerable thickness, in the larger types of mollusks at least, is reached. It will be understood that only those types of mollusks are suitable which are relatively non-brittle and have sufficient thickness to insure against breakage of the shell when the same comes in contact with the ball. Practically all types of shell with which I have experimented have been found to be satisfactory, only those shells being clearly unsuitable which have a relatively large proportion of ccifleaticn of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 489,791.

calcium carbonate with respect to the other organic matter. 1

. This material, and particularly the nacreous deposit, is of dense formation; its specific gravity is high; it has a high. fracturing point; it is impervious to atmospheric changes, and it has on the surface of its laminae minute corrugations, it being well known that it is such corrugated formation Patented July 18. 192 2. v

which causes the irridescence which appears on its outer surface, this action of light on corrugated or striatedsurfaces being well known. I

The qualities named, therefore, make this material an exceedingly useful one for the purpose herein disclosed. Its density makes it highly resistant to impact. ts high fracturing point eliminates the likelihood of breaking. Its low coefficient of exnansion makes it oractica-ll unaffected b i i atmospheric changes. Ttsweight or specific gravity lends itself to the balancing ofthe club, and the striated formation referred to gives it an ideal gripping surface, for holds ing the ball.

In addition, it is non-porous or non-cellular so that it does not absorb moisture or take up dirt and become begrimed, and its irridescent qualities make it particularly useful as a mark to define the proper striking area of the club.

The drawing herewith is illustrative of one physical embodiment of the invention,

but it will be understood that this is merely illustrative, and in no sense'restrictive, as the material may be adapted to different styles of clubs and applied in ways other than that shown here.

In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a perspective view of the head of the golf club with a striker plate of one form applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the head of the club through the striker plate on substantially the line 22 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of striker plate.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the plate or block shown in Fig. 3, illustrating conventionally the laminated formation.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 10 denotes the head of a golf club, the particular head shown being the head of a driver. Secured to the striking face of the head. 10- is the striker plate 11,

a dhesive.

ing or ivedgeshaped so that it may be driven home tightly in a. correspondingly shaped socket inthe head.

I prefer, although I so not confine myself to this, to fashion the block 11 by cutting a section. from the shell, of the fiiOfllfl desired, on lines substantially perpendicular to the laminae, with, preferably, the natural surface on theouter or tiking :tace ot the block. lihen cut in tlllSIllEUlilGl the force of impact on the plate on block 1]. successively met by the series of laniinations and from my present experiments the best results are obtained by fashioning the plate in this Way.

Any of the usual means of attaching striker plates may be adopted, and in Fig. l the plate is held in its socket by means o? any suitable adhesive, the recess in the head 10, or the sides oi the striker block 11,01. both, bein coated with the adhesive, and the block then driven home. If desired, the bottom and side Walls of the block to \vhichthe adhesive is applied may be rough dressed to furnish a better gripping surface'ifor the In Fig. 2 the block is shown as being secured in its socketby means of. pins 12, of any suitable 'n'ia terial, which may be driven through holes drilled in the block ll. Either the pins may be used alone orthey maybe used in connection with the adhesive, if desired.

In fact, any of the usual methods of securing striker plates to the club head may be adopted, and, as stated, the striker plates may take any desired'ilorln and design other than that here shown.

In Fig. 4, the plate or block :11 has illustrated conventionally [the laminae. The showing is conventional only, for While these laminae are clearly defined in the material, it is to be understood that the building up of these laminae is such as to make a homogeneous material, there being nothing in the Way of separation between the 1311111126 which would be likely to cause splitting or cleavage of the material under impact.

lit is to be understood that variations in form and design of the striker plate from the example here shown are within the range oi my invention, and I do not confine inyselt to its use with any particular club, as it is adaptable to various forms of clubs.

I claim:

l. A striker plate for golf clubs formed oi" a suitable shaped section of the shell of a suitably thick and relatively non-brittle mollusk,

2. A. striker'plate for golf clubs formed of a suitably shaped section of the naereous portion of the shell of a suitablythick and relatively non-brittle mollusk.

3. A striker plate for golf clubs formed of a suitably shaped section of nacre cut from the shell of the mollusk on lines sub stantially perpendicular to the laminae, to

suitably thick and relatively non brittle 5. A golf club having a recess in its striking face, and a. suitably 'formed striker plate of users secured in said recess with its irri descent natural surface exposed,

6. A golf club having a recess "formed in its striking face, and a suitably formed striker plate formed of a block of naiere of suitaliile shape and appreciable thickness, seated in and completely enclosed by said with its irridescei'it natural posed.

7. A golf club having a recess Formed in its strikiu face, and a. suitably ii0l111@(l striker plate formed of a block of more of. suitable shape and appreciable thickness, seated in and completely enclosed by said recess with its irridescentnatural surface eXposed and having its Walls roughened.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE LIPPINC-OTT.

surface ex- 

